accompanied diving - yes or no

[mndolphin]

Sounds like theses rules were lobbied for by one of these dive shops that get to charge 42$ to take a diver out on an easy dive.
(ie: diver is certified and has a few dives under his belt....not much work there)
I don't get it though, if someone is certified why do they need supervision? if they need supervision they shouldn't have been certified IMO


As for something else I read here, this anti DIR thing. I don't get how anyone could be anti any agency that teaches good, safe diving. I am not DIR (probably never will be) but they do a good job of teaching divers.

:doctor: just my .02 I'll go to my happy place now.

 

[Diversauras]

To add some depth to the discussion I would like to say for those who aren't familiar with TIDF (the Israeli Diving Federation) that they are the certifying agency in Israel but unlike in the US, they also have the backing of the legal system, and it is enforcable.

Orbiter,
I spent many weekends in Sinai with other Americans and Israelies the year I lived in Be'er Sheva, and we never had to have a native DL, or at least we never had them and were never told differently. You should bo to Dahab once it all settles down it is well worth the trip.

The only way out may be to go to some club system like BS-AC does. They even have branches outside the UK that work quite well, at least it adds some structure to the program rather than just rules. The only way the extra dives make sense is if whoever is leading is also watching and helping the students to become more competent, otherwise it is just added expense without added value, and the really bad ones will still try the blue hole and kill themselves.

 

[orbiter]

the tidf has no power to enforce - the israeli diving authority has - they are seperate and its easy to mix them up. while tidf has its members chosen from amoungst themselves - the diving authority is a govormental authority - answering to the minister of education and sports.
you might be correct about being able to dive unaccompanied in sinai (i just heard about it in a local discussion) and if so i indeed would be thrilled to dive there, not only at dahab.

i also agree about the effectiveness (or lack of it) of the accompanied dives as they are run today - and as ive stated they only extend the problem and dont solve it.
diving is individual.